I am a little old school when I have to make a hotel reservation. I don’t like to book through those OTAs or any sort of third-party platform.
It’s because every time I go to a hotel’s website and book, I feel things are transparent and I get a vibe of the place I am going to stay at.
And I am pretty sure, there are a lot of people like me who choose a hotel website over any other platform.
But not every website is effective. And it’s because hoteliers don’t understand what makes a good website. They don’t weigh much on the hotel website features and other requirements. They feel, having a website (without any additional stuff or optimization) is enough to push their sales through the roof.
So, I have decided to put out some indispensable information about the hotel website essentials. And I hope all the hoteliers who are reading this blog implement the tips for a great hotel website.
Table of Content
Why is it Important for Hotels to Have a Website?
Before we jump right to the hotel website tips and essentials, let me address one of the most common queries — Do hotels need a website?
Well, the answer is YES! The importance of hotel website in today’s competitive world is immense.
People nowadays always turn to the internet, even for the tiniest doubts. And if businesses (irrespective of the domain) aren’t making the most out of it, they are going to lag behind.
A hotel website makes it highly convenient for people to browse and search for the hotel’s information. And without an inch of doubt, it increases the chances of getting more bookings.
But, there’s more to it! Here are some of the benefits of having a website for your hotel:
#1 It’s the trademark of the hotel
A website speaks volumes about a business. And it’s no different for hotels.
The main motive of a hotel website is to let the guests (even the ones who have never visited your property before) feel the vibe and atmosphere of the property. Be it through the content or images or graphics.
Simply put, it gives your hotel a platform to spread the brand message and connect with your former and potential guests.
#2 It’s a source of communication and information
Your hotel website is also a channel through which people can reach out to you.
However, when I am saying it’s a communication channel, it’s not just limited to a contact form or an email id or a phone number.
Furthermore, your website also lets you deliver information to a wider audience. People get to know everything about your property on the website.
You can deliver information that they might want to know through blogs, PRs, etc. We will talk about these aspects going forward.
#3 Drives direct sales
A website is the best source for driving direct sales or direct bookings. Hands down!
Many people tend to visit a hotel website and make a booking even after checking on an OTA. So, hotels need to double on that.
Not to mention, when you have a booking engine integrated, things get much better.
Website Statistics You Should Know
Even though I have already stated the benefits of having a website, I want to include some concrete stats. And I am sure these will rest the case.
According to Graffiti9:
- 86% of visitors want to see information about the business’ offerings whenever they land on the homepage.
(Meaning, you must have a website that contains important & useful information — from your brand story to details about offerings, prices, offers, etc.) - 64% of website visitors always look for contact information.
(As I said in the beginning, your website is a channel of communication) - 52% of visitors also look for the business’ ‘about us’ section.
(This is a great opportunity to spread your brand message)
Hotel Website Requirements You Must Meet
Now that we have learned about the importance of having a website for a hotel, let’s dive into the essential features of a good hotel website.
Here are some of the important things every hotel website must have:
#1 For Interface
Responsive and mobile-friendly design
According to a report, internet users are increasing at a rate of more than 7 percent (roughly 875,000 new users each day). And guess what, about 92 percent use mobile devices to go online.
So, building a website for your hotel, and writing all the information is just one thing. There are other hotel website requirements as well. You have to ensure that your website is both responsive and mobile-friendly.
When you have such a website in place, its layout changes based on the screen size of the device. It makes sure that the content fits well on the screen, images are optimized, there’s correct spacing, and more.
Great photographs of the property
The next (and one of the most important) thing(s) you should have on your hotel website is intriguing photographs of your property. Upload photos of the different types of rooms you offer, the ambiance, food, amenities etc.
Photographs provide your guests with the first impression of your property. They show people what to expect from the hotels.
Word to the wise: Always put up genuine photos. Do not upload stock images. Why? Because if someone makes a reservation after seeing your photos and the reality turns out to be completely different, then it might take a serious toll on your reputation.
Fast loading time
When it comes to hotel website requirements, load time plays a vital role. Search engines like Google highly consider page load time for ranking. Meaning, that Google shows people sites on search results that take less time to load.
That’s not all. According to a report, 40% of people abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds of load time.
So, you must invest an ample amount of time and effort in optimizing your website.
#2 For Conversion
Booking engine
Now that you have a website with all the intriguing photos, faster load time, and responsive, it’s time to convert those curious website visitors into satisfied hotel guests.
How?
You need to have a booking engine in place. An integrated booking engine is one of the crucial hotel website features. It allows website visitors to book directly with your hotel right from the website. Not to mention, it also makes the reservation process a lot smoother.
Lead magnet
If you don’t know what a lead magnet is, it is basically a free item or service that is given away to acquire contact details.
eBooks, newsletters, product trials, etc. are good examples of lead magnets. And it is important that your hotel has this on the website.
Additionally, if a visitor doesn’t book with your property, you can still manage to reach out to him/her and nurture.
#3 For Branding
Social proof or validation
One can never overlook the importance of social proof or validation. Period.
Every time I visit a hotel website, I always check the reviews (or testimonials).
I am being very frank here; I always see the choices of others as a strong indication that a particular offering must be good. If it has worked for them, I feel there are chances it will work for me as well.
So, when you build a website for your hotel, never ignore this aspect. And if you’re wondering how to incorporate this into your website, let me tell you, there’s no rocket science. It could be as simple as a series of customer testimonials displayed on a web page. In no time, you’ll witness first-hand how this influences the buying decisions of your website visitors.
Blog posts
Blogs are one of the underrated hotel website features. Hoteliers must understand that it plays a crucial role in branding. With a blog page on your hotel website, you can start offering value to your former and potential guests, even before they start thinking about booking a room with you.
It gives you the power to expand on topics and attract like-minded people who could also become advocates for your hotel’s brand.
Not to mention, search engines also redirect people to pages that are living and breathing (rather than static ones).
Simply put, it’s about telling a story, delivering information, and fulfilling the needs and wants of those curious folks. This is what good brands do!
If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.
David Brier
Press releases/news/updates
Just like a blog section, your website must have a page for updates. It is a good practice to keep your audience updated with all the happening in your hotel.
For example: Your hotel has partnered with a well-known restaurant that is going to open an in-house restaurant at your hotel. Wouldn’t you want to spread the news to a wider audience? Obviously, yes! This is where such a section comes into the picture.
A page for local tourist attractions
When it comes to branding, you have to go the extra mile and ensure you’re doing everything possible for your existing/potential customers.
And one of the best things you can do is introduce them to your local attractions. Apart from just selling rooms, tell them about all the places they can visit, the activities they can do, the food they can try, etc.
Connect with them at the highest level possible.
#ProTip: When you’re working on your website and putting up all the content, do not forget to work on SEO. We have an in-depth blog on hotel SEO. You can read and master the art of ranking higher on SERPs.
SEO for Hotels: A Complete Guide
#4 For the backend
Tool for SEO
Now that you have learned about SEO, it’s time to get some tools. There are several tools available on the internet that can help you enhance your SEO efforts. Here are some of them:
- Ahrefs
- Google Search Console
- SEMRush
- Ubersuggest
- Google Keyword Planner
- Yoast SEO
- All-in-One SEO
Analytical tools
Another important aspect that you need to consider is monitoring and enhancing your website performance. For that, you need to have certain tools. Here are some of the tools you can consider:
- Google Analytics
- Spring Metrics
- Open Web Analytics
- Facebook pixel
- Kissmetrics
Security
Security is one of the top hotel website features. Period.
No matter what. You cannot compromise your and your guests’ data. Here are some of the steps you must take to ensure website security:
- Add HTTPS and an SSL Certificate
- Use a secure web host
- Record user access and administrative privileges
- Limit login attempts
- Change the default settings of your CMS
- Perform routine backups of your website
- Use a firewall
Conclusion
As I said in the beginning, having a website is not enough. You must understand what makes a good hotel website and what should a hotel website include.
Further, you have to make sure that the website is updated according to the needs and wants of your former/existing guests.
In this blog, I tried to include all the essential hotel website features and elements. Try to incorporate them into your site and see if they work for you.
Also, do let me know in the comments if there’s anything else I can add.
